LONDON FASHION NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15807, 2 January 1915, Page 5 (Supplement)

LONDON FASHION NOTES.

Fulness a Dominant Characteristic. Ftjxnt.ss is the dominant and universal characteristic of all the now season's models, in the way of coats, and cloaks, and tunics, at any rate, though, so fax there is Jittle if any, increase in the circumference, and, consequently, in the comfort, of the underskirts which make-a belated and brief appeal beneath the full long tunics, and of the skirts worn with the almost equally voluminous and lengthy coats which now constitute the more important part of the tailor-made costume.

It sometimes happens, of course, that the underskirts will he accordeon-pleated, and that, therefore, their apparent scantiness will, really, conceal a considerable 'ulness cnd freedom, but this scheme is naturally most favoured where such fabrics as charmeuse and chiffon are concerned, and, in the case of the tailored skirt of serge and suiting, and so forth, you will not find >ny appreciable difference as vet, though the tendency is to avoid tightness.

But it is in wraps and coats that the change is most marked and even startling. It matters not in the least whether the material be weatherproof tweed or the richest Lyons velvet ; a fine face cloth or a tissue whose many colours are interwoven with shining threads of gold. They all take the new outward-flaring line, whicn demands, and for the matter of that inspires, a certain jaunty smartness and straightness of attitude from the wearer. Exit—The Slouch. The drooping "slouch" must, necessaiilv. depart with the closely drawn draperies which curved upwards in front, and. surely, there will be none to regret, and. on the contrary, many to rejoice at, its disappearance.

In the new evening wraps in particular one will feel, and look, exceedingly important, not. to say imposing, the sumptuousness of the fabrics, their bordering with fur, and the flowing grace of their folds, all tending to a change of pose in tho wearer as well as contour in the garment.

Evan the all-fur coats are influenced by the fashion for fulness, and many of them are arranged with very full and long cape backs and shorter coat fronts, also full, held in by a sash of the fur —if this be of the satin-soft broad tail— else a broad and quite loosely-fastened belt. One typical modelby a world-famous man— is so arranged that this cape back is attached to the outer seam of the coat sleeves, with the result that every movement brings its graceful tolds into evidence, and provides a most effective hackground for the wearer's figure, and for the moro closely-fitting coat part. Wonderful Linings. Another noteworthy detail of the new wraps in general, and the fur coats, perhaps, in particular, is the exceeding beauty of the lining fabrics and their striking designs and colourings. For example, a seal musquash model has a primary lining of black satin, which, however, only shows for some two or three inches all round, the rest being veiled by a black chiffon on which weird "futurist" flowers bloom, and, indeed, blaze out, in flame and yellow shadings, with ,a. shadowy bordering of —like curls of smoke "from those flaming flowers— just a touch or two of a brilliant emerald green, which is then matched by the : moire ribbon gathered on to the chiffon | as a bordering. Then, again, a soft grey moire, which is dedicated to the lining of another seal 1 musquash cape-wrap, is showered all over with a mad medley of cube-shaped dots in cerise and purple, yellow and golden, biown, rose and blue, black and white. And only when, after the first shock and amazement, you study it rather more closely end at a distance, d« you realise that there is method in this madness, and that all those multi-coloured dots eventually resolve themselves into quite a dworative pattern of scrolls and strange flowers.

Cornflower-blue crepe de chine, with a device of scattered flowers in purple and cerise, brown and flame, grey and green, can also be not-?d down as another new and decorative lining, or yon can have a plain satin lining in some rather brilliant shade of, say, delphinium-blue, and then, just at the waist, introduce a broad inner banding of ivory-white satin ribbon, whose boldly-striped patterning brings together perhaps two or three daringly contrasted shades of blue alternating with black and white and golden yellow These stripes go round the waist, and it is to this fact and the use of a separate ribbon that this coat lining owes its 'present distinction, and will also owe its considerable favour in the future.

It must also be proclaimed that racoon and fitch, and American opossum, will be an alternative choice with skunk for the collars and borderings of the new fur coats. a